APS Fulfillment, Inc. (www.APSFulfillment.com), one of the nation’s leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, is releasing its expert opinion on a recent study showing the demand for industrial space could approach record levels in 2014 as e-commerce expands.

According to a new report, the net demand for industrial space could reach 250 million square feet in 2014, surpassing the near-record level of 233 million square feet set in 2013. The seven percent year-over-year increase in demand comes on the heels of an improving economy and the continued expansion of e-commerce, which shifts goods and products from retail stock rooms to fulfillment and distribution centers. (Source: “Strong Demand for Industrial Space Demand Forecast 2014,” National Association of Industrial and Office Properties web site, March 12, 2014; www.naiop.org/~/media/Research/Research/Research%20Reports/Industrial%20Space%20Demand%20Forecast/IndustrialDemand1Q14.ashx.)

“Improving economic conditions and stronger consumer sentiment means Americans will have more money to use for non-discretionary spending in 2014. While retail industry sales are expected to increase by 4.1%, online sales are forecast to grow between nine percent and 12% year-over-year,” says Charles Aultman, president of APS Fulfillment, Inc. “With more and more consumers turning to online spending, the demand for distribution and fulfillment centers will increase.” (Source: “NRF Forecasts 4.1% Increase in Retail Sales for 2014-Online Sales to Grow As Much As 12% in 2014,” National Retail Foundation web site, February 6, 2014; http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=News&op=viewlive&sp_id=1766.)

In 2013, industrial net absorption reached a near-record 233 million square feet, while fourth-quarter 2013 industrial net absorption came in higher than expected at 70 million square feet. During 2014, quarterly net absorption will range from between 60 and 65 million square feet, and in 2015, the quarterly demand for warehousing is predicted to grow from between 61.5 to 75.2 million square feet.

Aultman explains that the demand for warehouse, fulfillment and distribution centers is robust and is only going to get stronger as the U.S. and global economies pick up steam. With industrial warehousing space at a premium and competition for warehousing, packing, and shipping on the rise, it’s important for brands to make sure they don’t trust their products and reputation to just any fulfillment company.

Conveniently located in Southern Florida, APS Fulfillment, Inc., is just minutes from Port Everglades and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. APS Fulfillment Inc. is also just 40 minutes from the Miami International Airport and Port of Miami. Miami and Fort Lauderdale are two of North America’s largest export hubs and are in close proximity to South America and the Panama Canal.

“Thanks to our strategic proximity to all major transportation hubs, businesses that turn to APS Fulfillment, Inc. can have their products received, inventoried, and shipped in just two days,” Aultman concludes.

APS Fulfillment, Inc. is one of the United States’ leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, offering affordable and real-time fulfillment services to small, medium, and large companies. Its state-of-the-art technology provides turnkey solutions for high-volume perfect-match mailings, personalized direct mail, snap-pak mailers, postcards, and triple-tabbed booklets. More information on APS Fulfillment, Inc. is available by visiting the firm’s web site at www.APSFulfillment.com or by calling 954-582-7450.